I Know, Sam
by Jesse-J
Summary: Sam needs to hear the truth.


**Disclaimer:** Glee and its characters are not mine

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Burt saw him looking at them through the glass door and, following his gaze, realized that the other two were hugging on the parking lot of McKinley High in the distance. Then he saw perfectly what this sight was doing to the boy. And to his heart. From where he was standing, Burt could sense the deep despair of the teen and also sense, like a memory of his own youth, what it's like to always look at happiness but never reach it, to always desire and want but never touch or have. The kid seemed suddenly about to cry, probably feeling such a pain inside, and the hope he always had in his eyes when looking at Kurt seemed about to die.

Burt made his mind in a second: he couldn't let that happen, and he thought it was time for the truth to be outed. He crossed the high school entrance hall up to Sam and slowly put a comforting hand on his shoulder. The teen startled a little bit in surprise, turning around to see who was behind him. A grim smile lit his face when he recognized Kurt's father standing there.

"Hey... Mr Hummel."

Sam's voice was so mopish it almost made Burt wince, and all he could offer in response was an awkward silence. So they just stood there, staring at each other for a short moment till Sam ventured a quick glance at Kurt and Blaine still on the parking lot, to see Kurt now laughing to whatever story Blaine was telling him. A devastating vision.

"He doesn't love him, you know" said the older man in a deep and warm voice.

Taken aback, Sam turned a bewildered face to Burt and held back a yelp in his throat, giving a constrained gaze at the students passing by to see if any of them had heard or was listening to their conversation, before looking at Kurt's father again, relieved that no one seemed to pay any attention to them, but shocked by what he just heard.

"I'm sorry but... what?" The flicker in Sam's voice and the scare in his eyes made Burt smile weakly for a second. Because the was no reason to be afraid. No reason at all.

Well, on second thought, maybe Sam had some reasons to be afraid – like 'nobody-knows-who-I-really-am-so-please-don't-out-me' – so Kurt's father dragged him away from the entrance hall of the school to a place in a corner where they could talk more quietly.

"My son. He doesn't love Blaine." Burt took the time to really look at Sam in the eyes to ensure he had the boy's full attention and he went on talking. "It's just... a big crush. It's not love. And I think Kurt knows it even if he doesn't want to admit it for the moment." Burt made a step forward. "For him, Blaine is the... gay guy who has succeeded in everything he's done and who doesn't get bullied for what he is." There was a sort of sadness in Burt's voice after that. "Kurt admires that."

Sam was listening very carefully to Kurt's father, with watering eyes, making Burt realize the teen in front of him was very moved by his words. But he had to tell him.

"Admiration is not love, Sam. It's only another form of respect. And that's what Kurt and Blaine share: a friendship full of great respect. Nothing more." Burt put his hands on Sam's shoulders, squeezing them. "Don't forget that, OK?" Then he drew back, smiled kindly, gave him a friendly tap on the arm, and made his way out of the school.

Sam watched him walk away, somehow dazed by the speech of Kurt's father, before running after him, outside the school. Once on the parking lot, he couldn't help noticed that Kurt and Blaine were gone, and then joined the older man.

"Mr Hummel! Wait!" Burt stopped and turned around, discovering a wavering teen looking at him in a weird way. "Why... did you tell me all this, Mr Hummel?"

A genuine smile lit Burt's face a few seconds and he let out a soft sigh as if he was about to reveal something secret.

"You know Sam, I watched your tutoring sessions with Kurt. For weeks. I saw the smiles, the gestures and... the looks. You two have the same light in your eyes when you're together, when you look at each other." It seemed hard for Burt to say that out loud but he did it anyway. "And you know what, Sam? I think it's the closest thing to real happiness I will ever see in my whole life." His voice was almost a whisper because of his emotion. "You two, together, it's..." Burt smiled. "It's beautiful. And it just seems... right."

They had both tears in their eyes now, unexpected ones on Burt's side, and they were still staring at each other.

"And I know you must think right now that your father's friend has totally lost his mind, talking to you like that. Well, I haven't. It's just that..."

Burt's voice broke. But he pulled himself together and, fighting the lump in his throat, said one last thing to Sam.

"It's just that I like you, kiddo. A lot. And I want you, and my son, to be happy."

Those last words were too much for Sam. They made him realized how much his friend's father was trusting him and that the time for secrets was over. Something was burning him inside and would probably kill him if he didn't let it out.

"I love him." Sam sobbed suddenly, before bursting into tears, unable to bear the pain that was shattering his heart – and maybe his soul – right now. "I really love him, Mr Hummel. I love Kurt." His voice died, drowned in his own tears.

Burt wiped his cheeks rapidly and walked toward Sam to give him a bone crushing hug and hold him in his arms.

"I know, Sam." The voice of the older man was trembling. "I know."

**FIN**


End file.
